New Friends: Old Enemies
by MyOrli
Summary: When the Xmen meet Team S, they have no clue what new enemies they are making... i know this in't the comic background, but don't hate me! i only want to tell a different story.
1. Chapter 1

Summery: This takes place after X2 and the whole Phoenix thing. The X-Men, on one of their missions, meet a team of mutants. They are the very first mutants and they have lived since way before scientists are able to date back: over five quintillion years! Mutants evolved from these people. These missioners all look middle-aged. Their leader, Animila, on the other hand, looks like a girl in her late teens. They go only by their code names: Animila, Hot Hands, Diss, Brain, and Inviz, because they had forgotten their given names. They can't die from old age. They are also very skilled in martial arts, sword-play, and gun-fighting. Their technology that they use is the most advanced…anyway Animila has nightmares about her enemy, Sricmoni, returning to her and she turns to the X-Men for help until they find out that Cyclops is also a victim-to-be of Animila's foe. Animila's Team S and Xavier's X-Men must find a way to defeat their threat before all humanity is destroyed.

Disclamer: I own the Team S I created and are seen throughout this story. However, the X-Men aren't mine; they belong to Fox and Marvel…lucky devils!

A few missions back, the X-Men had met few missioners themselves. They were angry missioners, nonetheless. But they recently bonded and teamed up with the X-Men, but still remained in their own team. Their leader, by the name of Animila, named them "Team S". She was the eldest, most powerful, and fearless mutant alive. She was also the most beautiful. Her assesories didn't matter. She had Eagle wings on her back, a lion's tail, retractable jaguar's claws and saber-tooth cat fangs, snake tongue, and bear ears. Obviously, she can turn into any animal she pleased. She also had another power: she could nonverbally speak to nonliving things and have them do whatever she desired. She and her Team had also lived for over five quintillion years, which is is why they know so much about everything.

Now, this ancient and powerful mutant was asleep in the room Xavier had granted her. However, her slumber was not peaceful. She tossed and turned and mindlessly pulled the blankets close to her face as if she was trying to hide.

A little ways down the hall, Scott Summers, also called Cyclops, was kept awake by this troubling noise. Worried, he got out of bed and walked down to his friend's room. Animila had a painful expression about her. She was dangerously near the left edge of her bed, looking as if she was going to fall off at any second. Sweating and gasping, she tossed viciously in her sleep.

"An," he whispered, leaning close to her and trying to wake her up from her troubling sleep. "Animila. Wake up. An, you're having another bad dream. An--?"

The animal girl jerked awake with a shout. Doing so, she speedily sat up and clashed her forehead against Cyclops'. This happened with so much force that she knocked him backwards off his feet.

"Oh!" she leapt off of her bed and knelt at his side. "I'm sorry. You okay?"

"Yeah," he replied as he sat up. "Just remind me to get a facelift tomorrow."

"What were you doing in here in the first place?" she asked as she helped him to his feet.

"I heard you while you were having **another** nightmare from down the hall."

Animila's expression dropped and her voice deepened. "Oh. Yeah. That."

"Jean and I are getting worried about you, you know. This is the third one this week. And this happens to be the third night of this week!" Scott pointed out while Animila grabbed a small, square, satin red pillow and buried her face in it. "You're having a nightmare epidemic, here."

"I know, I know," Animila's muffled voice said. "It's just reruns of my past, basically."

"You wanna talk about it?"

Animila pulled the pillow away. "Not tonight, Scott. Maybe another time."

"Okay. Well, whenever you're ready, my doors are open."

"Thanks. G'night, Scott."

"Night, An."

the next day

"What in Hell's Oven--Animila! Have you been smokin' Waco Weed of somethin'? Come outta there!" Logan exclaimed as Animila had suddenly shifted into the form of a large mouse and jumped underneath the couch cushion he was seated on in the rec room. She saw something that apparently frightened her on the news. Logan dug down beneath the seat and tried to pull the shaking mouse out. Jean had entered when the event suddenly happened.

"Logan! Be careful, you might hurt her!"

"Not before she tears up my favorite couch seat!"

"Hold on a minu--time out!" Jean lifted out the terrified animal with her telekinesis and brought her to her hands. "Logan, you need to take pity and consideration every once in a while.

She brought Animila, still in her mouse form, to hers and Cyclops' bedroom, gentaly stroking her with her finger. Animila obviously felt safe in Jean's palms for the moment. Cyclops was reading a _Times_ magazine on their bed. He threw the magazine aside and sat up when he saw them.

"What's wrong?" he asked her as she laid down on her stomach next to Cyclops.

"She and Logan were watching the news a minute ago, and I guess something she saw scared her. And it takes an awful lot to scare Animila!"

"Maybe it had a resemblance to something in her nightmare last night."

"She had another nightmare?" Scott nodded. Jean looked to Animila. "You know, we can't help you unless you tell us what's bothering you," The grey mouse shook her head. "I'm beginning to think that your nightmares have something to do with what you're feeling," Animila looked down slightly and nodded. "It's nothing to be ashamed of, you know. We're always here if you need to talk to someone."

"No offence, Jean, but it's just not the same as talking to Hot Hands." Animila's voice came out of her mouse form. Hot Hands was her right-hand man and second-in-command of her Team. He and the rest of her Followers and a few X-Men had gone off on a mission far away. He was the one person she could talk to. He alone understood. She now felt beside herself in this mansion full of her friends and students.

"I know," Jean replied. "But we're good listeners. And nothing we say will leave this room."

Animila snort. "That's an age-old phrase, hon. But I guess you're right."

So, for about an hour, Animila let out her feelings, her past, and what her nightmares suddenly brought back while the couple intently listened, eager to help her out.

How was this first chapter? I know it isn't really true to the comics, but is it okay, or did it suck? I'm sending the next chapter pretty soon. I hope you like it.


	2. Chapter 2

Sorry I haven't updated in a while, but I been busy. That may not seem lika a good excuse, so sorry. Anyways, this chapter gives a little background info about Animila's worrisome, uh, worries. Scott and Jean are a major part comin up l8er. This story may not make much sense for some because the whole Team S-being-the-first-mutants isn't the comic background, so pleez don't hate me for it. This is only my first fic maybe later, I'll know better. But this is no different from any other fic. This is just a story that came outta nowhere and into my need to tell it. I hope ya'lls like it!

P.S. if you don't mind, pleez review.

Disclamer: Ya'lls know I don't own X-Men, but I do own Animila, Hot Hands, Diss, Brain, Inviz, Sricmoni, and the story. They're all mine! Not Marvel's, not Fox's, not no one else but mine. Don't steal them away, or I'll--! Uh, anyways…

"Okay, so this person--what's her name again?" Scott said as he and the two girls talked in his and Jean's room.

"Sricmoni." Animila told him. She had changed back into her regular form of herself.

"Yeah. So, this lady, "Shit-co-money" has been hunting you guys for the past few thousand years?"

"I don't get it," Jean added. "How is she so different from everything else you've faced?"

"Sricmoni was once apart of my Team," Animila replied. "One day, many millions of years ago, one of our missions went wrong. I was blamed. She was one of my most trusted Followers. I trained her like I did Diss: taught her everything I know. That became a disadvantage when she betrayed me. And, well, you probably get the idea."

"So, why the sudden recalling?" Jean asked. "What brought it back?"

"I-I saw on the news of a blowdown in downtown New York and saw a familiar image of my once-ally. She said that she would search me out after she had raised a large number of her own followers…even if she had endanger every one I kne-knew." She trailed off and gasped. Half of the city was being destroyed because Sricmoni knew Animila was nearby. "Oh my God!" She leapt up from the bed and ran passed out Scott and Jean, to the front doors. They looked out of their window to see Animila kick off from the lawn and fly extremely fast to New York City.

"I smell trouble for dinner," Scott tensely said.

"So do I," Jean replied. "I think we should round up what X-Men we have and go help her."

"Took the words right outta my mouth."

"Whoa!" Storm just barely missed a hit from a tumbling 18-wheeler in the streets. She, Jean, Logan, Scott and Rogue were searching for Animila. All through the streets, everything was in ruin, or on it's way: fires were burning buildings, car wrecks blocked the streets, and in the midst of it all, mischevious-looking mutants were just making it all worse while people tried to flee from the streets. The X-Men scattered to try and cease it. A lamppost suddenly fell in Jean's direction. No one was nearby. Without having time to stop it telekinetically, she panicked. Just before it hit, she heard a familiar voice: "Not to worry…" a tall figure on a fire-sled scooped Jean up and sped from the scene. "…Flying Flame is here with fury!"

"Hot Hands!"

"You bet your brass, sweetie."

"What're you doing here? I thought you were in Australia."

"When we first heard Sricmoni was back in town, we rushed back here, knowing there'd be trouble."

"You too, huh?"

"All of us." The remaining X-Men and Team S leapt from the X-Jet and began burying the ruin in "mutant bandages". Describing Hot Hands' abilities, his hands generate extremely high heat and large pillars, balls, and shields of blazingly hot flames, though any part of his body can withstand emormous amounts of heat. He can even create a round fire-sled, as you saw, to ride the air and get around fast…without melting or burning anything. He also has a "luxury", just like his leader. However his is not the same: this one is him being able to create earthquakes, even if it's an accident. An example would be his emotions, if he loses control of them. For a case in point, as loyal as he is to Animila, he still hides the fact that he is in love with her, which is why he can lose control over himself from time to time. Or if he's suddenly attacked at unawares, violent earthquakes can occur at such occasions.

Hot Hands finally touched down. When he did, his sled disappeared instantly. Brushing a few fallen strands of his brown-coal hair out of his golden-rod colored eyes, he carried Jean back towards Scott and set her down.

"Better start keeping an eye on the missus. Free spirit, you know."

Scott grinned. "Thanks, Hot."

"Well, now we got something to take care of," Hot Hands went on. "Where's Miss Animila?"

"We've been looking for her and we can't find her," Scott replied.

"Uh-oh," Hot Hands mumbled in an urgent tone.

"What?"

"Never mind. I'll tell you later or there isn't going to be one."

Hot Hands hurried off, but Scott and Jean followed.

"Inviz! I might need to use your talents!"Hot Hands called to another tall man with chocolate-brown hair and silvery-white eyes, about Scott's and Hot Hands' size. Inviz is able to create invisible walls, supports, and hit-forces to knock back or injure enemies. He could also use these to walk on air at any altitude he desired.

"Righchu are, Hot Hands!"

"Hot Hands! Police Round-Up! With Sricmoni here, we won't have time to fend them off!" A little shorter teammate with short, blond hair and clear, glass-like eyes called from a few yards away. His name was Brain. The reason being is that he can see straight through solid objects and dominate anyone to be under his command. His luxury power enables him to bring others back to life, though Animila seldom allowed it for she feared it would eventually take his own.

A small explosion sounded behind a cluster of buildings.

"Brain, see if you can keep them off our backs," Hot Hands ordered. Brain grinned a little. "Diss, keep him from getting hurt or he'll lose his ascendancy." Diss has an ability to transparent her sensation to where she is hardly visable. This allows her to let herself pass through anything. (Like, if someone tried to throw something at her, she could transparent herself so it would go through her.) She could also use this affect on other people as she pleases. Like her teammstes, she has a luxury. This enables her to heal herself and others of wounds and bone-breaks in two seconds. Diss has long, dark pinkish-blond hair and bright pink eyes. She is well-trained by Animila as well as the rest of her teammates and has a

hooker-looker type of beauty, unlike her leader. Animila just possesses ancient, simple, yet enchanting majesty.

Telling of their uniforms, they are all black, for one. Nonetheless, the feminine uniforms differ from those of masculine, in terms of design. The males' unvarying garments are one-pieced and made of glassy leather, yet comfortable and easy to move in. They also have long overcoats. They wear black, leather gloves which are tight but still allow movement. Their boots—also leather—go just a little past their ankles. The top of the uniform (not including the overcoat) doesn't have a right sleeve. On the bare arm just beneath the shoulder, there is a black band bearing a red "TS" upon it. To top it all, they all have a belt—which holds several guns of all sorts—on their waists, and a belt on their left arm and right knee—which hold many different kinds of knives.

Animila's and Diss' uniforms are pretty much backless leotards. Their clothes were made of pure, glassy leather, too. Their heeled boots stretch up to their mid-thighs. The heels are only about two inches high to prevent breaking their ankles. They also wore gloves as well as the others. These are tight, too, except the remaining inch-and-a-half extending past the wrist. That area loosened. They have the belts just like the guys, just opposite (like, their arm-belt would be on their right arm instead of the left). They also had the "TS" band, but on their left arms beneath the shoulder. The Team very seldom wore anything else.

Animila

Animila ran frantically through the city, her dark bangs of her hair matted on her forehead with sweat. She suddenly heard a familiar, evil voice nearby.

"Well, my past _Mistress_ has finally come out of hiding."

Animila reeled around to see that what she dreaded to catch sight of. Sricmoni, a tall, blond-haired, steely-eyed, and cold-expressioned woman, had kept her promise and searched Animila out.

I know! I know! It's short, but it's a necessary stop because the next chapter is gonna be a hell of a lot longer, trust me. Now, I don't know if ya'll who are reading this likes it or not, so I don't know if I should stop or keep going. Support also really helps me to keep writing. So, from now on, I respectfully require at least one r&r after each chapter that I send before I send another one, okay? I'm sorry, but I want to know if I should finish it or stop. Like I said before, I'm sorry it doesn't have hardly any relation to the comic stories, but I just wanted to write a new story that hasn't been told. Please remember, it's just for fun!  Pritty Kitty Pleeeeeez review! I'm really proud of it and I would like second opinions. But I ask that if you are going to criticize, please make it constructive criticism or just don't send it okay? I'll be waiting for reviews! Thank you! 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey! I have returneth…Oh, what am I thinking? I'm not Arabic. Anyway, I'm back. Miss me? Probably not, huh? laughs a little thanx for the reviews, my friends, StringRain and josh! But, josh, when ya said it was long, I can't see why; it's an inch compared to the foot I've written here, Hee Hee!  And, I would like to respectfully point out that when ya wrote that you were illiterate, ya said that ya were ignorant. laughs But, thanx again for reviewing, nonetheless. And for you StringRain, THANK YOU SO MUCH! I'm glad you like it so far. About the details on how my characters look, I'm sorry I didn't write more. I was in a hurry the day I wrote it and couldn't get back to it. But more descriptions will be told later, -k-? A little hint for you: I created Hot Hands in honor of………(drumroll)………Orlando Bloom. (Now you can probably tell how I got my pen name) of course, I had to give him a few different and/or abnormal characteristics. Hot Hands_ is_ a mutant. And one of the first, for that matter. I wanted all of the Team S to have weird stuff whether they had something to do with their mutations or not. Of course, Brain's eyes do have a side effect from his mutation, though. The reason they're like glass is because glass is transparent and he can see through stuff. Oh, one more thing: about Hot Hands being able to create earthquakes, it doesn't work like Avalanche's power. Avalanche pretty much messes with tectonic plates, right? Hot Hands just shakes the ground. It's kinda hard to explain. But, for the rest of ya wonderful readers, I don't really have muchy to say about this chapter except that it's long just like I promised. Read, enjoy, and review…PLEEEEEEEEZ! 

Disclaimer: I own everything, even the X-Men and such…I wish! Don't sue. I only wish I did! But I own everything not familiar to the X-Men story/movie/comic/thingies ect.

And I'm sending this one in honor and thanx of josh and especially StringRain.

"Sricmoni." Animila acknowledged. "So you _have_ returned."

"Just like I promised," Sricmoni replied. "Just like a loyal Follower as I once was."

"And I foolishly trusted you."

"Ah. It was _I_ who placed my trust in _you_. If only you hadn't failed in that mission centuries ago, we wouldn't be how we are." Animila's face turned to a look of turmoil, guilt, and attempted reason.

"Even I couldn't have foreseen--"

"You failed us all! You turned us and half of the world into monsters!" Sricmoni accused.

"Sricmoni--"

"Those fools who remain with you now only face misery!"

"It wasn't--"

"I shall bring this to an end! With you, the first mutants, gone, all of the mutation in humans will erase!" A bright blue, deadly stream of electricity emerged from Sricmoni's palm and fingertips. Animila reacted instantly. She held both hands out in front of her as her ruby-burgundy eyes filled with lime-green flame. The air around her obeyed her command of forming a powerful air-shield around and about her. (she can talk to nonliving things, remember?) The fork of electricity danced around her until it rebounded back at her attacker.  
Being immune to her own power, Sricmoni's body only absorbed it. Sricmoni grew angry and fired again. This time, Animila jumped out of the way as she was standing before a fuel-tank. The electric strike hit the tank and a small explosion sounded.

"I have no desire to fight, my child," Animila tried to make harmony. She had always treated and cared for her Team as if they were her very children. "I forgive you, but we must live in conflict no more."

"Oh no, Animila," Sricmoni sneered. "Peace doesn't form this easy. I'll NEVER forgive you for what you've done to us! I will have my vengeance!"

"No, this ends now, whether peace between us forms or not!" Animila's eyes blazed with green flame once again. She stretched her hands out to her sides and objects—garbage cans, timbers, cars, clumps of gravel from the streets—flew about the two females, once the spreading green flame touched them.

Sricmoni blasted every object that threatened to hit her (which was every). First chance, she attempted to hit Animila. This time, however, she succeeded. The animal girl was beginning to lose energy from the amount of power she was using, so she didn't move fast enough to defend herself.

Animila took the hit square in the chest. She was knocked backwards and into a brick wall. She felt the ground shake beneath her just seconds before she blacked out.

Hot Hands

Hot Hands, Inviz, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean ran toward the racket. When they turned a corner, they saw a tall, blond, steely-eyed woman crashing Animila into a far wall. Without hesitation, Hot Hands ran forward a few steps. Following this, he jumped into the air, clenching his left fist into his right hand over his head. He landed in a kneel on his knee. When he hit, he slammed his clenched hands hard into the ground. As soon as he did this, the ground shook violently.

"Hold onto something!" he shouted to the X-Men, him being to only one not fighting for balance. (Immunity of his own power.) Inviz stood a few feet in the air as if he were standing on ground.

Animila

Animila lifted her head from the quaking ground. The first thing she saw was Sricmoni making a move on Hot Hands while she tried to remain standing. But, Hot Hands' thoughts were focused on the ground, trying to make the quake destructive around Sricmoni as much as possible. The animal girl quickly staggered to her feet. Almost instantly, she shifted her form into that of a black bear and leapt at Sricmoni, hesitating to attack no more. She clawed and such as much as she could.

All of the sudden, a whirring of a small jet, not the X-Jet, was heard overhead just as the X-Men moved in to help. Some kind of machine gun was attached to the front and it began to fire at them. All except Sricmoni. She leapt to her feet when the Animila-Bear backed away, trying to avoid bullets. With astonishing agility, Sricmoni jumped on to the top of the jet just as Animila changed back into herself, reaching for a pistol, and was hit in the right shoulder.

Animila dropped to her knees, clutching her wound, and glared up at her enemy, Sricmoni's blood dripping from her long, saber-tooth cat fangs.

"You may have defeated me this time, Animila," Sricmoni roared at her. "but your power won't exceed my own for much longer! Not when I have the power of your allies!" with that, she was gone.

Animila looked downward in exhaustion as she still held onto her injury. Not many can fatigue her, but this battle with her past Follower had. The others rushed at her side.

"An. An, you okay?" Scott asked as Hot Hands gently shook her.

"Miss?" Hot Hands began to worry. Ignoring Hot Hands, Animila stared to her right at Scott with unfocused eyes.

"_Tkos_?" she puzzledly asked in Huntran, her dead language. 'Tkos' was the name of her lost brother when her long-ago kingdom was destroyed.

"W-what?"

"I-I'm sorry," She snapped back into reality. "I'm just a little dazed."

"I can't see why," Logan quipped in his sarcasm as he, Inviz and Jean approached. "You've only been shot and electrocuted.

"C'mon. We better get back to the mansion," Jean sounded like the concerned Dr. Grey that she was. "We've done about all we could here, and you're hurt."

"I've been through much worse. I'll live. Besides, Diss can fix it in a jiff," Animila argued.

"Maybe, but we must depart before we're caught. You know Brain can't keep the police in such a large number under his command for very long."

"Very well," Animila agreed. "Hot Hands, where are the rest?"

"Out on the streets with the X-Men we returned with," her faithful devotee informed her.

"Then we must leave."

"Hey, wait," Inviz interrupted. "What's this?" he picked up a small disk near where the jet had hovered. It had apparently been dropped unintentionally.

"I wouldn't know," Animila replied. "We should bring it back with us and I'll take a look at it."

X-Mansion

Images and words reflected off of Animila's dark—almost black—sunglasses as she scanned through the information on the disk Inviz had found. She was alone in the lab, late that night, on a computer. Hank McCoy, a.k.a., Beast had offered to assist her, however, she refused. Some of the X-Men and her own team were either visiting in the rec room, or chatting and snacking in the kitchen.

Scott and Hot Hands

Scott and Animila's second-in-command strode down the hall just chatting.

"One thing I don't get, though," Scott said to Hot Hands. "Is why you are so, um,how should I put it? Obsessed and devoted to Animila."

"That's what a good and loyal follower is," Hot Hands replied.

"That's not what I meant. I mean, it seems to me, in a way, that—I don't know—you're in love with her o-or something," Hot Hands stopped dead in his tracks. How did Cyclops know? "I'm not trying to be nosy, "Scott went on. "but it's just something that's caught my attention often."

Animila

Animila hastily typed in a few things into the computer, still exploring, but now with worry and anxiousness in her expression. Something suddenly popped into her view of the screen. She pulled her shades down off of her face to make sure she wasn't mistaken of what she was seeing. Unfortunately, she wasn't. Some old legends from her lost kingdom and sacrificial instructions data were on that page. She typed some more and double-clicked to try to find out why such information was there. She then saw a wide-shot picture of the mansion and schematics around the grounds and the rest of the exterior. A sculpture-like model of an advanced sentinel showed beside the image. More came into view as they approached the institute. Another page appeared. And to her dismay, she read: "_Sacrificial_ _exchange_: _Decided_. _Decided_ _being_: _X-Man: Summers_. _Sacrifice_ _purpose_: _The_ _Royal_--" Before she was finished reading, Animila took off and ran up stairs (if it was called "up **stairs**", the only way to or from the subbasement is by elevator). As the page was still loading, she didn't notice the specifics of the facts.

Scott and Hot Hands

"…but, the truth is, yes, I'm more devoted than the rest of my teammates because, well, in short, Animila is like a part of me. I could never go through a day without knowing that she's safe. It's a little more than love, if you know what I mean," Hot Hands confessed.

"I know perfectly well," Scott replied. "The love, not to mention rapport, I share with Jean is beyond description."

"Yes, but this is different. I-I can't explain it. To lose Animila is something beyond what I can bear."

"How--what exactly happens when you die? Members of the Team S, I mean."

"Our bodies just slowly dissipate while there is still a little life left. Then, when all the will to live is gone…nothing. All the sudden, everything's gone."

"Just like that?"

"_Sey_," Hot Hands answered in Huntran.

"Hot Hands!" Animila came running towards them. "Hot Hands, assemble Team S and Charles in the briefing room, and hurry!"

Briefing Room

"Are you sure, my friend?" Xavier asked as he and Team S conferenced in the briefing room.

"I am almost certain, Charles," Animila answered. "Sricmoni wishes to use Jean to bring the lost Queen back to existence. The document said clearly: "Summers." Poor Jean is the only explanation."

"But, Miss, couldn't the other possibility be Cyclops as well?" Brain asked. "After all, he is a Summers."

"Perhaps, but Sricmoni always has believed in _woman_ power. Surely, her objective is the Queen."

"But why, may I ask, would she want to resurrect the Queen to begin with?" Xavier questioned.

"It is what we have feared for more than 56…**trillion** years," responded Hot Hands. "Ever since her 'betrayal', she has wanted to destroy us."

"But why?"

"Because we were the first mutants. _We _are the reason mutants exist," Diss replied.

"_We_ are what caused the evolution," Brain finished.

"How can that be so if the first mutant--" Xavier argued.

"Pure myth, Charles. People _believe _that was the cause," Animila interrupted. "It wasn't. As for the Phoenix legend, we do not yet know all of the answers. Sometimes the eldest aren't always the wisest."

"If it hadn't been for that mission failure, it wouldn't have happened, and Sricmoni wouldn't be looking to kill us," Diss got back on-subject.

"What mission failure?" They had never told Xavier that such a thing had happened. These people were professional, the most undefeatable missioners alive!

"Well, back when I had a much larger Team," the animal girl explained. "We were on a mission one night—many, many thousands of centuries, ago when technology was greater than it ever will be again—to retrieve a certain chip which contained information on how to genetically change a human being. When I had the chip in my grasp, I fell into a compound mixture beneath me when I was knocked unconscious. That liquid made me into who I am. My Team began to change, too, as they too were exposed to it. That is also why our aging stopped. Sricmoni was apart of our Team and was none to happy about what had happened. She and several others left. She pledged to someday return and undo what we had--what _I _had done."

outside the briefing room

Logan was on his way to the Danger Room when he heard the Professor's and Team S's voices behind the briefing room door. He couldn't help but listen in.

"When our mutations—as you say—'manifested' all knowledge was lost from the world and about 50 of the world's population mutated in teen years," Animila's voice was saying.

"Do you know why this happens at teen ages?" asked Xavier.

"Because Miss Animila was the first who endured the genetic change," Inviz answered. "_She _was in her teens."

"But the point of it all, Ms. Grey is in grave danger if we aren't cautious," Hot Hands cut in. "For all we know, Sricmoni could as well sacrifice her to bring back the deceased Queen of Huntra--"

"Forgive me for interrupting, my good Hot Hands," Brain interjected. "But I'm afraid we are no longer the only ones listening." His glass-like eyes weren't on the group, but staring at the door. On the other side, he saw Logan with his ear pressed to the metal of which the door was made.

Logan felt like knocking himself upside the head. How could he be so stupid? Brain can see through any solid object—that included metal walls!

The door glowed green for a second and slowly opened as the green faded.

Whew! some long ass chapter I written so far, _ja_? I'm not promisin' nothin' but I might have another chapter that's pretty long, too. I don't know yet. If ya'll don't like long chapters………review and tell me, and I'll break 'em up in smaller portions, -k-? I'm literally on my knees, here. Well, tell me how ya like it, too. StringRain and josh, I hope I'll hear from ya'll. I'll be waiting! Thanx for readin', ya'll!

Thanx for what support ya gave me, StringRain. I'm very grateful. By the way, if you've written any fics, what are they? I'm sure I'd love to read 'em…if they exist 'cause I don't even know if you written any. But, thanx again!

_This is MyOrli signin' off and turnin' in for the night_!


	4. Mysteries

A/N: Hellooooooooo! Hey, ya'll. Wazz up? I'm back with my forth chapt. And, sorry I took so long, Summers-Spirit, but I had writer's block for a long-ass time. :) I mean, I had the story in mind, but I couldn't figure out how ta put it in, um, writing, ya know? I'm sooooooo happy ya like it! Your review totally motivated me to keep writing. For a bit before ya sent your r&r, I was beginning to think I had lost my audience since I'm kinda new, too and people probably don't like my writing. Girl, ya are my hero! Ya'll readers, ya'll should check out _her_ first fic, Beginning of a Spirit, cuz it kicks ass! I swear, it makes ya wanna read more:) But just so ya'lls know her main character is similar to Diss only by coincidence. So, she didn't copy me or vice versa. But, anyways, here it is for those of ya who want ta keep reading. Believe me, after this chapter, things'll get messy—especially for Scott, Jean, and Animila. (Just for you, Summers-Spirit!)

Disclaimer: Same deal. I own nothing but everything that's mine, HeeHee!

Dedications: To my friend, and kick-ass writer, Summers-Spirit. Thanx, muchy! I'll keep r&ring if you do! ;)

"Hello, Logan," the Professor pleasantly said.

"Hey, listen, Chuck, I didn't really mean to eavesdrop. I just heard talking about weird stuff and--"

"And you'll be sure not to repeat it to anyone," Inviz tensely warned.

"But, is what I heard about Jean…true?" Logan had to ask.

"Uh, no, Logan. We just thought that we should make things up just to pass time and scare the shit outta people," Diss sarcastically snapped.

"No matter. Logan, you must swear you will tell no one," Animila persisted.

"Hey, my lips are stapled…but shouldn't we at least tell Cyke?"

"No!" all members of Team S shouted in chorus.

"Logan, do you have ANY idea how _he_ would react?" Animila pointed out. "Not only would he go half—if not all—insane, but he would get so mistrustful and over-protective that he'd take crazy hunts for anything he sees as a threat."

"Yet again, I'd have to agree. But how are we supposed to protect Jean without anyone knowing about it?"

"We will let the X-Men know when the time is right, Logan," the Professor informed him. "Until then, we must keep quiet."

Kitchen

"Hey, Gambit!"

"Whut?" the Cajun spun around from the refrigerator. "'Oo's dere?"

"It's me, Logan, you jackass."

"Logan? Whut 'ar you doin' hidin' in da pantry?" he asked as he approached the a-jar-open door.

"Makin' sure nobody hears us."

Whut might dat mean?" Gambit nearly yelled.

"Shush it, Cajun, before somebody finds us!" Logan pulled Gambit in just as Kitty and Bobby walked past the kitchen.

"You mand tellin' 'ol Gambit whut dis is all about?" Remy insisted.

"I just overheard an incredible conversation in the briefing room," Logan got to the point.

"Ooh, really? Lak whut?" And Logan spilled the beans.

Outside Pantry door

"Oh, God, Bobby!" Kitty exclaimed as they listened after they strayed into the kitchen.

"This is bad," her boyfriend said.

At that moment, Jubilation Lee walked past. "Hey, Jubilee!" the two called after her.

Pantry

"Not ta worry, Gambit ain't gonna say nothin'," Gambit announced as he left the cupboard.

"Better not, Dealer. I swore to them I wouldn't tell anybody."

"Uh, shor thang…Bye!" he casually spoke and as soon as he finished, he sped of to find Rouge.

"_Et moi cherie_! Whare's my Marie!"

"Hold it down, sugah," answered Rogue as she came from the other end of a hallway bearing the dormitories. "Ah don' wantcha ta wake the dead, now."

"I probly will anyway with whut I gotta tellya." (you know what's gonna happen)

an hour and a half later

Hot Hands walked down to his room to calm himself from all of the tension of the night after he had settled himself to a hot water bottle. (A/N: side effect/habit from his mutation.) He passed Nightcrawler, Angel and Colossus in the hallway.

"Are you serious, Kurt?" Colossus asked.

"_Mein freund_ I tell you, as a man of God, it is no lie…"

"_Crazy gossip_," Hot Hands thought as he chuckled in his own mind.

"…Jubilation Lee told me so _err self_. She has never been dishonest to me previously."

"Who'd ever thought Jean of all people would be caught up in this?" Angel wondered.

Hot Hands had taken a drink from his water, but choked so hard he had spat it out once he understood what it was they were talking about. "What d'you say, Warren?"

The three explained what they had heard from the other X-Men which surprised and worried him totally.

"How'd the rest of the X-Men find out? If Charles announced it, you wouldn't have had to catch the word. And if only one of you overheard us--Logan!" he angrily dashed downstairs as he called after the big-mouth.

"What got _his_ goat?" Angel asked as he and the other carried on their business.

"Logan--oof!" Hot Hands rushed through the mansion on his pursuit, but as he passed an elevator, Scott stepped out and they roughly collided. The large stack of papers in Scott's arms went flying all over the place. "I'm sor--oh, Cyclops! Here, lemmie help." He frantically began to gather the documents and restack them.

"Hot--what are you doing? What's the rush?" Scott questioned as he helped him.

"I-I was just looking…for Wolverine. Got something I gotta _discuss_ with him."

"Oh? Why don't you tell me and I'll tell him if I see him."

"No!" from Scott's confused look, Hot Hands corrected, "I mean 'no thanks'. I gotta take care of this myself."

"O-kay..?" Scott was still bedazzled by Hot Hands' behavior'. "May I ask what your anxiousness is all about?"

"Well, actually, I'm not, um--I got to, uh, um--lot of things ta talk about," Hot Hands jumped up and tried to get away from Scott as fast as he could.

Scott stared after him with an eyebrow raised. Whatever Hot Hands said didn't make sense. Scott wondered why he was acting so strange. Nonetheless, he just finished stacking his papers and went about his business.

Animila, Diss, and Inviz in a Facility Fighting Highly Trained Mutants

Diss battled two deadly mutants at one time. She was kicking their asses. Animila was a little ways away doing the same. When one grabbed her from behind, she kicked him square in the knee and back-flipped over him then fired a colt in his back. Inviz retreated from an attacking mob. As he reached a wall, he jumped up and created an invisible floor just above his head. When his enemies were just beneath him, he jumped of and landed on another force that was pretty much a bar and hung from his knees. He gave them a false grin and then fired when it had dropped.

Diss was flat on her back. As another mutant approached, she snatched out a dagger out from her leg-belt and just before she drove it in to his gut, he disappeared and the background faded to a gray-blue. "Hey!"

"Hot Hands, we were just getting' to the meat of it!" Inviz complained.

"Children," Animila approached, hovering a few inches. "I'm sure Hot Hands had a reasonable reason to call for our attention."

later after all is explained

"Logan did WHAT?" the now flustered Team S leader roared with the little hint of a lion's own bellow.

"I _knew_ we couldn't trust him," Diss flushed in anger.

"Just think what could've happened if the news got to Cyclops."

"I didn't need to hear it from Logan," a half totally-in-tears, half angry voice said from behind. To their dismay, it was Scott's. "How could you keep this from me!"

"Scott," Animila let her forehead fall to her tail while her arms were crossed. "This is the exact reason why: you would go into a fit of hysterics."

"But I had a right to know!" he glared at Hot Hands as if wishing his beams would pass through his glasses and into Hot Hands' heart. "And now I understand why you were acting subnormal."

"Scott, you have to understand that we wanted to wait until the time was right, otherwise things would've turned out the way they did."

"Yes," Brain added. "We didn't hold out on you because we wanted to make your spirits sink."

Scott's angst left him though the sadness lingered. "I know."

"We should tell Dr. Grey, shouldn't we then, Animila?" Inviz asked.

"She knows," Scott answered. "But there's nothing we can do about it now." He stooped for a minute for it felt like to him that there were a lot of people talking at once.

"Are you okay?" Hot H ands asked.

"Just some kids going down to the Danger Room…and making a lot of noise about it," he dully answered. "But what do we do now that we all know what's going on?"

Animila smirked as an idea struck her mind, "I know some one who can give us counsel."

next day at front entrance doors

"X-Men!" Animila announced. "May I present Aqua! She has been a friend of the Team S for many years, know." A woman with sea blue hair, garb, and skin that looked like the sea walked up to them. She looked as if she was made of nothing but bright, blue water. Even her eyes looked it. She was about 5'6, Diss's height.

Bobby wolf-whistled. "Hot _gato_, girl!"

"_Hola_." She answered. "How doo yoo doo?" her accent was a strong Italian one. Mah nam ees Oh-qua. I om vary pleezed too meet yoo ol."

"Ah, I take it you are Italian, Miss Aqua?" Xavier greeted.

"Ooh, uv corse noat. I woas rased een Italy, yas, bet I om Omareecan. Ond, yoo ar?"

"Professor Charles Xavier, Miss Aqua. It is a pleasure to have you with us."

"Ooh, ze plesier ees mine, Professor."

"On to business, my friend, I have summoned you because we are in desperate times…_sonw ngaa_." Scott suddenly cocked his head; he could've _sworn_ he understood what Animila had said, but she spoke in her native language. That wasn't possible. Maybe he was mistaken? It didn't matter to him now for the noise level rose again and it was irritating him.

"_God_," he thought, though, of course, Jean could hear him. "_When do they stop?_"

"_When does who stop what, hon_?"

"_The kids keep makin_'_ all this racket_."

"_Scott_, _there's hardly anyone nearby_."

"_Then_, _what's this noise I'm hearing_?"

"_W-what noise_?"

"_The_--_never mind_. _Guess I just got a headache_ _or_ _something_._ Maybe I'm imagining things_." But that didn't stop his hearing tons of overlapping voices.

"Jean," he said out loud after a second. "I'm gonna go find some aspirin or something," he went over to Aqua. "Ma'am, it was very nice to meet you, so hi, welcome, and I'll talk to you maybe louder." He sped out, hand pressed to his temple.

"Excuse me," Animila left to follow him.

Upstairs she found him in his room, crouching by his head. Even though she couldn't see them, Animila could tell that his eyes bore noise fatigue and slight pain. "Scott? Are you okay?"

"An," he gasped. "What's going on with me?"

A/N Okay, I gotta stop here, -k-? I'll have my 5**th** chapt soon, I promise. Pleez review:)


	5. new plot

A/N: Hi, ya'll. How'd ya'lls like my 4th chapt? Wuz it okay to leave it kinda cliffhanger? But, down ta business, I posted my 5th as soon as I was able. Nobody'll likes me to be on this sight, so they keep unplugging my laptop. (which doesn't work without being plugged in, by the way.) But ya'lls would raise my spirits if ya r&r so I can post my 6th chapt:) I'm tryin; ta finish posting this story before the school year's over cuz I can't use my laptop—much less the internet—during summer vacation. After school's over you probably won't be hearing from me until about September or October. I might get lucky and maybe get to use my mom's computer to stay in touch, but I highly doubt it. But on happier thoughts, here's my fifth. I must warn you that this chapt is EXTREMELY LONG. It was impossible for me to find a stopping point, so I just kept going until I found one. I'd advise ya ta not read this unless you've got plenty of time to read it whole-k-? but that's just friendly advise. Do what ya'lls will ;) Enjoy!

Dedications: Summers-Spirit. Thank you sooooooo muchy! I appreciate your support! I'll get to reading your story as soon as I can! ;)

Disclaimer: Blah, blah, blah! Ya'lls know the story. :)

"'Hearing voices'?" Xavier asked. "That is strange indeed."

"Onimeela, yoo don't suppose..?" Aqua wondered.

"Of course not, Aqua. That's impossible," Animila made a sideways glance at Scott. "Absolutely impossible."

"Wolt, then, do yoo suppose ees the reason for ol uv zis?"

"I-I dunno," she answered as if she was not sure of herself.

"Can I at least know what the hell is going on?" Scott interrupted.

"Scott, I do not know the answer."

"Mebbe 'e's a telepath and no woon knew it?" Aqua suggested.

"If he is, I would have known," Xavier cut in.

"Eet ees possible that zee sikeek mutation could just recently be manifesting, no?"

"Oh, extra mutations developing at age _twenty_-_seven_?" Scott snapped a little ruder than he meant to. "Oh, uh, I'm sorry. Besides, I've realized that these voices aren't matching the people here. It's as if…if they're a different…type of human, and speaking in a weird language which I strangely seem to understand. Like--like your Huntran speech, An."

"No one but Aqua and we Huntrans know that language. It is completely impossible for any other being to interpret it."

"Well, I thought I understood what you said to our guest earlier."

Aqua put in another suggestion, "Mebbe eet ees anozeir ifect from zee hearing uv voices—like yoor gibberish speaking to moi earlier. I had no cloo vat yoo ver saying," (A/N: like when he said, 'I'll speak to you maybe louder' he meant to say, 'maybe later'.)

"Wait," Animila cut in. "Scott, what did you assume I said?"

"Something like, 'once again', I think."

The animal girl stood in silence. Scott was correct. That was the exact translation. Cyclops took the message, "Okay, someone needs to tell me something because, personally, I'm getting freaked out."

"Well, to start off, you guessed right. I wonder how?"

"I don't know. What I do know is that I wasn't supposed to know."

"Onimeela, conzidier zee possibilities. Eet ess very likely--" Aqua began but Animila didn't want to hear it.

"No, Aqua! It is not so! He was lost and there is no guarantee it is now when he has returned!"

"But eet ees a strong--"

"Impossible! Scott cannot be--!" she broke off. Cyclops and Xavier were staring wide-eyed and confused at the two. (though Scott's eyes couldn't be seen) "Excuse us, Charles," she and Aqua left the office to converse in private.

"What d'you think _that _was all about, Professor?" Scott asked when they were alone.

"I do not know, my son. But I do believe there is something Team S isn't telling us. Something we probably should know.

Animila and Aqua

"How dare you mention that in front of them, Aqua? Do you realize what the consequences could have been if they knew what we're talking about?"

"But eef ve're right, zen zey should 'ave a right to know."

"And if we're wrong? The results would be disastrous!"

"Mebbe zey can help us?"

"I doubt it, my friend. Look at the years of seclusion taking chances has brought my Team and me."

"Perhaps zis ees zee time to take anozeir chance, no?"

"Not until we have more accuracy. Besides, it's Jean we should be worrying about. She's the one with her life at stake."

Woods

"Magneto, I'm glad you've come," A hooded, feminine mutant said when the Metal Master and his second-in-command, Mystique, met her.

"You said you offered me an opportunity about something?"

"Yes. A chance to be rid of the X-Men and rule the earth at my side."

"I assume there is a catch to this?" Mystique asked.

"Only one: help me be rid of a certain group of mutants. But I will need an X-Man to make the accomplishment possible."

"Who?" Magneto questioned.

"Summers."

"Ah. This won't be very easy. That one has caused us many difficulties."

"But, I suppose you recall the government's sentinels, do you not? I have adopted and modified them for my own. You probably get the picture."

"Yes. And our alliance will take them by surprise and make the capture more simple," Mystique sounded pleased by the fact of a little trouble making.

"But be wary. Animila's Team doesn't go down without a fight. A rough, bloody, vicious fight. They won't be easy to defeat either."

"We will be willing to take the risk," Magneto was bursting with confidence and eagerness.

"Not too hasty, now. You'll need _my _team's help," A golden-blond and black-haired, black-eyed man approached from a group of bushes. His face was scarred and tattered, but he looked quite lively. "Wallwalker, my handyman, leads my army of sentinels. He also possesses the incredible ability to alter gravity to walk upon walls, ceilings, even strings, and etc. he is also handy in other matters."

"This will be interesting."

Lab

"…An, I'm worried. We know what's gonna happen, we just don't know when," Storm said as she, Beast, and Team S discussed the expected attack. The Team and X-Men were all in combat uniform.

"I know, Storm, but we know nothing else."

"What I fail to understand is why sentinels were seen in the ambush document," Beast wondered.

"I cannot imagine the reason, Hank," Animila replied.

"Perhaps Sricmoni is working with the government and convinced them to reactivate the Sentinels?" Brain suggested.

"Unlikely. The government still isn't very content with our kind. Sricmoni is, indeed, a powerful mutant."

"I just--" Storm began, but was cut off by a ground-shaking thud. "What was that?" thud "There it is again!"

"Hot Hands, are you--" thud Diss suspected Hot Hands was making the ground shake, but he, too, was confused.

"Animila, what's…" THUD "…going on?" Beast shouted over the approaching noise.

The animal girl's expression was grave. "The time has come."

Ground Floor

THUD THUD THUD 

The rooms shook with the quakes. Students fled and sought cover from collapsing objects.

Xavier's Office

"What's…" THUD "…that, Professor?" Scott asked as he entered, this time in uniform, and tried to keep his balance.

"Sentinels."

"Oh, God! This…" THUD, THUD "…is always our…" boom, BOOM "…luck!"

"And it's got worse, Cyke," Logan said as he ran into the doorway. "They're bigger this time!" they both ran out to the front doors where many of the X-Men had already exited.

"Scott!" Scott reeled to see Jean running up. 'What's going on? Why are there sentinels in our front lawn?"

"I don't know," BOOM, BOOM "but I'm gonna find out. And you're gonna stay here where it's safe!"

"No. I can't leave you alone."

"You won't be. The rest of the team will be with me. But you're not. I'm not taking chances on--" he suddenly heard the voices again.

"Scott, you're in no condition to…" BOOM "…fight, I mean with the telepathic voices you've been hearing."

"Jean, I'm fine. You're the one in jeopardy."

"Cyke! Get out here and help us!" Logan's voice bellowed.

Lab

"An, stay here and we'll handle this," Storm called she and Hank took to the elevator.

Before she could protest, "Miss," Brain said. "Look at this," he pointed to the monitor. Parts of the page Animila hadn't seen before were highlighted.

"_Sacrifice_ _purpose_: _The Royal Ruler_, _King Himnankio_'_s resurrection from the reincarnated Prince_."

"We were mistaken, Miss," Inviz pointed out. "She wants to resurrect the _King_."

"And only a male of Royal decent can make that possible," Diss added.

"It is not Jean who needs protection at all," Animila worriedly replied. "It is the born Summers." To herself, she whispered, "Maybe Aqua was right after all."

Lawn

Scott could hardly believe what he saw. The grounds were flooded with mutant-hunting machines. There seemed like hundreds.

Rogue knocked the daylights out of the nearest sentinel. Colossus followed her lead. Gambit threw heavily charged cards at another. Bobby attempted to enclose three in a thick wall of ice. Storm electrocuted some others with a few strokes of lightening from the sky. Beast swung up the leg of another. Kitty phased in and out to avoid hits of strangely colored streams of light. Nightcrawler teleported bits and pieces of the sentinels away from them, resulting in them falling apart. Logan jumped onto one of the faces and forced his adamantium claws in the eyes. Jubilee and Angel saw the students to safety.

Scott immediately attacked, though he was practically on his own. He shot a couple, dodging their attacks in the process. Soon enough, he, Storm, and Gambit were trapped in a circle of sentinels.

"We ded now," Gambit pointed out.

"Stay calm," Scott replied. "We can figure this out."

The sentinels closed in their right hands and prepared to fire. But before they had a chance, "You made a bad mistake by coming here!" a wave of telekinesis jolted the attackers and threw them all over the place, some of which collided and destroyed other sentinels.

"Jean, I never thought I'd say this, but God, I'm glad you joined us!" Scott embraced his spouse just as more thundering sounds approached.

Out of the sky, more sentinels landed at the edge of the lawn.

"You _got _ta be kiddin' me!" Rogue cried when she saw. "Ah wasn't prepared fo' this!"

"X-Men, go. Get the kids and the Professor outta here. I'll handle this," the Fearless Leader commanded.

"Scott, do you realize what your doing?" Storm demanded in alarm.

"Not really, but I know I'm making sure you guys make it out."

"Okay, can't argue with that!" Bobby over-willingly grabbed kitty's hand and retreated to the back lawn. The rest followed suit.

"Jean, get outta here! I'll handle this!" Scott ordered as the rest fled whilst she stayed behind.

"I'm not leaving you alone, Scott!"

"I can handle myself! Just go. I gotta do this on my own."

Before leaving, Jean threw her arms around his neck and pressed her lips hard against his. For a brief moment, there was no fear or peril. They broke away.

"Now go, Jean." Scott softly said.

Jean obeyed, but turned back. Her eyes filled with tears. "I love you."

Scott looked back into her eyes. "I love you," He replied, then was gone.

Scott ran out to the edge of the front lawn. Seven sentinels awaited him.

"MUTANT IDENTIFIED: X-MEN LEADER. DISABLE, DO NOT TERMINATE."

Scott was ready. He jumped out of the way of a neon-colored stream of light from the leader sentinel and a pale laser of another. First chance, he shot a powerful blast at the first sentinel in his way; it was knocked backwards and exploded as soon as it came in contact with the ground. He shot the legs off of another, making it fall forward. Seeing another prepare to fire at him, Scott blasted the arm off of it. Before Scott could fire again, he was suddenly grabbed from behind by a large sentinel hand. Next thing he knew he was thrown into a mansion wall. Scott painfully regained his feet almost immediately in desperation.

the rest of the X-Men

"Storm!" Diss called from a distance in the back lawn. She and the Team approached the X-Men.

"Diss, An--what're you guys doing here?"

"You didn't really think we'd leave you all to face _our_ enemy, did you?" Animila asked.

"The sentinels are every mutant's enemy!" Kitty shot back, unknowing of the situation.

"Not when they're under Sricmoni's control," Hot Hands said.

"WHAT?" the X-Men excluding Storm and Beast stared at them in disbelief.

"You can't be serious!" Wolverine inquired.

"'If we're lying, we're dying', Logan," quoted Animila.

"Oh, God!" Jean gasped. "Scott's facing them by himself!"

"He's a tough cookie, Jean," Wolverine told her. "He's always handled himself before."

"Not against these guys, Logan," Inviz put in.

Animila suddenly sounded concerned. "We better go get him outta there: he's one of Sricmoni's primary targets."

"Why?" Jean questioned eagerly.

"I'll explain later, Jean," Animila answered. "But I got something to take care of first."

back to sentinel battle

Three more sentinels came to the scene. Scott was on a roll until they began to fatigue the young mutant after awhile. Suddenly, without warning, another neon-colored light stroke in his direction. Before he could dodge it, it hit him in the chest, and knocked him a few feet, then he was left unconscious.

"Finally!" Sricmoni's erupted from the striking sentinel. "Now we must bring him to the Lost Kingdom and await my past mistress to have her--"

"No need to wait, Sricmoni!" Animila's voice sounded from the sentinel's eye level from behind. "I'm here."

"Good." The sentinel turned and blasted a torpedo in her direction. Animila dodged it by landing and leaping behind a tall tree just in the nick of time.

"What's wrong, Sricmoni?" She flew back up again, wings beating furiously. "Can't you face me by yourself? If you are so powerful, why not use it?" Animila's voice was proud and ancient, much like her forefathers.

Aqua jumped out from the distance. "Wolt power?" she blasted a powerful stream of water at the sentinel. It flew back out of sight. The rest of the sentinels retreated as well. Aqua grinned to herself. Jean came running and knelt at Scott's mangled body.

"Will he be okay?"

"Hord to saay," Aqua answered. "'E ees in critical coondition. Um surprised 'e esn't ded. Uv coorse, 'e might die onyway." Jean laid her head next to her husband's, her arm across his chest, and began to cry.

"Now Aqua, I'm not so sure that Sricmoni intended to kill him," Hot Hands said as he approached on his fire-sled. "He's probably just out cold for the moment."

"I think we should start calling you Conclusions Queen from now on instead of Aqua," Diss joked.

"But we do need to treat him, nonetheless," continued Hot Hands.

the next day in the med lab

Scott was laid out on a med bed, unconscious. He was still in his X-Uniform, but his glasses replaced his visor. An I.V. tube was attached to his arm. Jean sat at his side in a chair. She had been there all the previous day through this night. It was nearing 3:00 a.m. and she had fallen into a light sleep. A hurting voice suddenly roused her.

"Jean--?"

"Scott! Are you okay? Are you feeling any better?" Jean was wide awake now.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I just…hurt a little. What happened to the sentinels?"

"Animila and Aqua fought them off kind of. You had me worried sick."

"Well, I'm fine, now. You didn't get hurt, did you?"

"Shh. No, no. I'm fine. I came back after Sricmoni's sentinels were gone."

"Sricmoni's--? I don't get it."

"I'll explain some other time. You best sleep some more now." As she said this, Scott raised her hand to his cheek and pressed it against his skin. Jean stroked the front of his hair as he closed his eyes again and found his way back into painless dreams.

Xavier's office

Xavier was sitting at his desk during all of this. He was deep in thought.

"_Animila_," his voice filled Animila's mind. "_I need to see you. It is urgent_."

Animila entered five minutes later.

"Yes, Charles?"

"Have a seat, my friend."

Xavier sat silent for a few moments until he found some way to word his thoughts.

"Animila, I'm a little concerned about what happened yesterday."

"The sentinels caught me by surprise as well. I wasn't expecting for something like this to happen in broad--"

"That's not what I was referring to. Why would Sricmoni attack to obtain Cyclops? What importance could he be?"

"I was wondering the same up until yesterday. I had thought that Jean would be the person she would be looking for. But I found the real plot."

"And, what is that?"

"That is something for another time. Nonetheless, what Sricmoni is seeking, we cannot let her acquire."

"In that case, we must keep an extra eye out for Scott. If she is to stop at nothing--" he broke off. They were both thinking the same thing.

"Charles, call my Team down to meet me in the subbasement. And hurry!" she sped off to her location as Xavier called her Team telepathically.

Scott asleep in the med lab after Jean left

The door opened into the dark lab. Scott's ruby-quartz glasses were a little dim because of his shut eyes. A slight grimace crossed his face as a tall figure approached him. He slowly and tiredly opened his eyes to see his mother standing over him. He sat up a little to try to prove to himself it was Jean or Storm; any woman but his mother. His mother was dead. Utter confusion passed his face as the familiar, but suddenly evil, voice spoke to him.

"Hello, Cyclops," no sooner had she said this, her left hand clasped itself over his mouth, disabling him to speak, and tackling him downwards. He reached up and attempted to pull her away, but he suddenly couldn't move at all as another mutant came up behind him and grabbed his shoulders. Maybe that mutant's mutation was the cause? Struggling to free himself, he looked at the figure next to him. It changed its shape into the blue, scaly mutant he only knew so well: Mystique. But why was she there? Scott didn't have time to wonder for he passed out seconds later when something hit him hard in the head.

Jean having left the subbasement to get some sleep

Jean had just settled down in hers and Scott's bed when she heard it. A disturbing interference in their psychic bond. She felt something was wrong. She heard Scott's voice almost screaming in her head.

"_Jean_!_ Where are you_?_ Where's An_?_ It's Mystique. She's_--" then his voice was cut off and there was utter silence between their link. Had someone broken into the mansion? She rushed down to the subbasement.

Animila sprinting to the med lab

Animila ran as fast as her animal agility would allow her. (which, may I remind you, allows her to go extremely fast, so it doesn't really _limit_ her speed, it increases it.) Her bear ears were perked up, listening for trouble. She had already had a strong sense that something wasn't right. As tension increased, her speed needed to as well. In the blink of an eye, she turned into a gray and white wolf. She got to the elevator and when she arrived at the subbasement, the med lab door was half-open. In an instant, she knew Sricmoni was here. Animila leapt to the doorway of the med lab. She saw Mystique, Wallwalker, Sricmoni, Magneto, and a few members of the Brotherhood. Mystique and two other mutants had hold of the unconscious Cyclops.

"_So, she's teamed up with Magneto_," she thought to herself. "_Convenient_."

"Let go of him!" Animila's angry voice barked from the wolf.

"Recoil, Animila. This isn't your business just yet!" Sricmoni snapped.

"Oh, the hell it ain't!" she sprang at her enemies, viciously slaughtering some of the Brotherhood mutants.

"Get him to the ship!" Sricmoni ordered. Magneto tore off a back wall and he, Mystique and Wallwalker, holding Scott on his back, stepped into a jet nestled beside the underground room. Animila sprang to stop them, but she had forgotten Sricmoni's presence. Sricmoni blasted a fork of electricity at her and knocked her back with a hurt-dog yelp. Sricmoni laughed as she climbed in and the jet lifted through the ground above and flew away as Animila faintly heard, "SCOTT!".

Team S

Hot Hands ran into Jean and Brain while trying to get into the elevator. They reached the med lab soon after. When they approached the semi-open door, they heard a sharp yelp of a wolf. They burst open the sabotaged door to see Sricmoni laughing hysterically, Wallwalker heaving Scott in a jet lying by the room, and Animila-Wolf (what other wolf would be there?) lying on her side, back turned to the three.

"SCOTT!" Jean cried as the jet tore through the dirt (once again, obviously) and took off.

"It looks as if we're too late," Hot Hands said as he strode over to his leader. Animila's figure slowly changed back to herself. "Animila, you okay?"

"I'm fine, Hot Hands," she replied as she sat up. A great pain suddenly surged through her side where she was hit. She clutched her hand at her wound as streams of blood turned her black uniform scarlet. Wolverine, Bobby, Beast, and Rogue entered as Hot Hands and Brain helped Animila to her feet.

"Whoa! It looks like Magneto passed through here," Bobby exclaimed, looking around the destroyed med lab.

"He…did," Animila gasped.

"What?" Rogue couldn't believe it.

"Sricmoni was here with Magneto and his Brotherhood. They've teamed up. The reason why remains unknown to me," Animila, Hot Hands, and Brain were the only ones not surprised.

"Then, what happened here? Where's Cyke?" Wolverine questioned as he too scanned the room.

"Obviously gone," Hot Hands snapped as no one but he and Brain noticed Animila's injury.

Cyclops

Scott was still unconscious about two hours later. He was in a rather cold, semi-dark room and on his knees. His wrists were individually suspended eye-level to him in chains from the ceiling. As he slowly came to, he saw a hazy silhouette of a blond woman, whom he could only assume she was Sricmoni, kneeling in front of him.

"Ah. Finally, you're awake," her cold voice said. Scott's vision slowly became clearer as he raised his head a little more and looked at her. "I gotta have my mutants be a bit gentler, shouldn't I?"

"What is-where--" he semiconsciously stammered.

"'Where are you'?" she finished for him. "On our way to the Lost Kingdom of Huntra. Forgive me if this is a slight inconvenience for you," she gestured to the chains on his wrists "but it's for your own good…just incase you got the wrong idea."

"I think I got the right idea here," Scott suddenly became agitated and angry. "You got me here to lure Jean so you can use her--"

"Now think, if I desired to have your wife here, I would've went to her room and left you alone," Sricmoni corrected him. Scott just cocked his head to his right as to not look at her. He had to admit; what she said was right. He became angrier by the second. At first, it wasn't really clear to him why, but his fuming could be seen by Sricmoni. "Well, I think I should leave you to cool off. Then, maybe, you'll be in more of a talking mood," she turned to walk away, but stopped short and turned back. "You, know, if I were you, I'd enjoy the ride while I can. Because after this, things will get a lot rougher." With that, she left Scott alone to wonder what unspeakable horror he had yet to face.

X-Mansion

During Cyclops' captivity, Team S, X-Men, Xavier, and Aqua were gathered in Xavier's office.

"If Sricmoni wanted Jean, she would've come for Jean, not Cyclops," Hot Hands said as everyone but Animila and Xavier argued over the matter. Diss and Inviz were the only ones absent.

"Ya know she could've used Cyke to lure Jean and just have him for a torture toy. Believe me I've dealt with those kinda people. I know all about this stuff," argued Wolverine.

"Naut her," snapped Aqua. "Thees woman is woon major indepentaint, creeminole-minded…woman."

"Ha," Beast was unconvinced. "People like her are all the same. Planning the same strategy."

"We know Sricmoni and she's not like other scoundrels," Brain put in. "She doesn't waste her time with the whole mouse-getting-caught-in-the-mousetrap deal."

"Yeah? How'd ya know that for sure?" Rogue questioned.

Hot Hands was losing his patience. The room began to slightly shake as Hot Hands quarreled, "Because we--"

"QUIET!" Animila broke the fight. "Now, Hot Hands, there no sense in you starting an earthquake now when we need to get along. The rest of you: we know what we're talking about and what we're dealing with, so I suggest you listen to every damn word we say if you want to live through this, got it?" she got a blood red, angry look in her ruby-burgundy eyes for a split second, then it faded and she spoke in a softer and more social tone. "Now, look. We know what kinda person she is and her primary target was for a forward reason. Like Brain said, she doesn't waste her time."

"Why would she be so desperate for him in the first place?" Storm asked.

"I do believe the time has now come to discuss it," the animal girl replied. She then explained the clarifications.

Cyclops

Scott continued to contemplate what this was all about. His head was still throbbing from the blow he'd suffered earlier. He finally gave up on trying to figure the whole thing out. He thought that the only way to ease the pain was to sleep it off. Almost instantly, he slipped into a dreamless slumber.

It had only seemed like a few seconds from when he fell asleep to when he was painfully awakened by a deck across the face. He heavily exhaled in pain, but refused to do anything farther that would bring his captors satisfaction.

"Good evening, Mr. Summers," Sricmoni's cruel voice sounded. "Have a good sleep?"

"What the hell do you think, you deranged bitch?" Scott retorted. Wallwalker was kneeling beside him. At Scott's remark, he struck the defenseless mutant once again. Scott did nothing but let out a brief, aching groan. Following this, he grimaced and spat out a mouthful of blood. Sricmoni bent over to face him more.

"Now, listen," she said softly, but coldly. "I've tried in every way I could to be civil with you, but it seems impossible; you've got too much of Animila in you--"

"_What?_" Scott thought to himself.

"Knowing her, she'd stop at nothing to get out of this grasp. So, we must watch extra carefully out for you, shouldn't we, **_Your Highness_**?" those last two words hit Scott hard. What the hell did she mean by that? Whatever it meant, Scott was sure this all was something he wasn't going to like.

Scott concentrated hard and tried to contact Jean through their link. However, instead of communicating with his wife, he suddenly felt excruciating agony in his head. He didn't express physical pain if he could help it, but mental pain was too much for him to handle. Through gritted teeth, he cried out when it hit him.

"Magneto was right. Somehow he just knew you were gonna try that," Scott shot her a confused, yet pissed off, look. "Clearing it up for you, the walls of this ship is surrounded in a _special_ magnetic field to guard you from psychic contact," Sricmoni smirked. "So, any attempt to try to contact your little Jeanie, you **will** experience hurt. It's also as well if she tries to get in touch with _you_, so pray she doesn't try."

Mansion

"Ow!" Jean suddenly cried, clutching her head.

"What's wrong?" Storm asked.

"It's Scott. They're hur-hurting him. He was trying to telepathically talk to me, but they started hurting him."

"See if you can talk to him now."

"I-I can't do that. If I do, then he'll get hurt."

"How?"

"Magneto's made some kinda magnetic field to shield us apart."

"What about Cerebro?" Brain asked.

"We could try," Xavier said.

Cyclops

Scott cried out in agony as he felt Cerebro target him. He reached up and grabbed his temples as if an attempt to cease it. He bitterly heard Wallwalker's and Sricmoni's laughter in spite of his pain. Without a second thought, he tore off his ruby-quartz glasses. Obviously, Sricmoni had forgotten that he was capable of destructive power. His optic blast shot clear through the wall opposite of him, narrowly missing the other two. Sricmoni's and Wallwalker's laughing was replaced by anger.

"Want to play, do we?" Sricmoni shot out a long-lasting, powerful stream of electricity at Scott. His mental pain ceased only to leave room for the new pain taking place, almost tearing his insides apart. He actually screamed this time. His blasts ended as he closed his eyes cried out. A smile in Sricmoni's eyes was clearly seen (if Scott could have seen it) up until she withdrew her hold on him. Scott painfully tried to make the remains of her strike eave him. Wallwalker gleefully strode over to him and replaced Scott's glasses on his face. Scott gasped repeatedly, trying to be rid of the hurt.

"Wallwalker," Sricmoni said. "Tell Mystique to land in the nearest forest. I'd say it's time for a rest stop. And notify Magneto of the wound in the wall. I'll need him to fix it. And, maybe we should let our young prince fill his hunger: he's been exposed to darkness for too long. Let in what's left of the sunlight. We can't weaken his power too much."

"Yes, Ma'am." And Wallwalker left. Before Sricmoni did the same, she kicked Scott violently in the chest.

"Oh, and just for the record, I sincerely hope your last conversation with your wife was memorable. I don't believe you two will meet up again. She'll positively die anyway before you will soon forget her and everything you thought you knew." And then Sricmoni left him alone once again as windows he hadn't noticed before opened and the setting sun let in blissful rays of light. He didn't care. The thought of losing Jean again was unbearable. He plainly understood. Sricmoni was going to kill her. And she was gonna make him watch. Tears filled his eyes and fell down his cheeks as he quietly cried (Yes, I know that in his comic background he can't cry, but I chose to ignore it this time. I think him not being able to cry spoils emotional moments. Hope ya'lls don't mind. :) and her name despairingly passed his lips.

Scott grew steadily weaker, whether it is from grief or suffering pain, as the sun was almost gone. He inhaled deeply and then passed out.

Cerebro

Xavier rolled out of the round room to the others who were waiting outside.

"My search has been successful, my friends."

"Where, Professor?" Jean urgently asked.

"Near the equator, but I strongly advise not to use any psychic contact to Scott for it is causing him severe mental pain. It badly injured him when I found him by using Cerebro. And I doubt it is from his psychic hearing. Eric has apparently gotten wiser over the fact of the telepaths we have here. He even knows about Scott's rapport with Jean. I will send their exact coordinates when you are ready to make way."

"Charles, I propose that only I and the rest of Team S go," Animila stated. "We know what to expect. I realize the X-Men are well-trained, but I don't think they're ready for a challenge like this."

"WHAT!" Jean exploded. "This is **_my husband_** we're talking about! You're not going without me!"

"Now, honestly, Animila," Beast protested. "I'm sure we can handle this."

"If you absolutely insist, then tag along at your own risk," Animila pushed her pair of black sunglasses which looked high in technology—other than for looks—up perfectly on her face.

"But, expect one thing: everything that's not to be expected," Hot Hands added.

"But even if we do succeed, we'll need to expect the next time Sricmoni will strike," Animila said. "Aqua has contact with a few mutant rebels which I believe will be more than willing to accompany us in this small…war."

"Aunly abowt two or three, my frind."

"Every one of them counts. I think Shadowcat, Colossus, Jubilee and Nightcrawler should accompany you in your journey to summon them."

"Then wolt arr vwe wating for?"

Exterior of Sricmoni's jet

The Team S and X-Men were huddled a few yards away, planning their strategy.

"Alright," Logan said. "What do we do if this goes wrong?"

"Improvise," Animila answered.

"Well, that helps a whole lot," Bobby sarcastically scoffed.

Animila was only sarcastic back at him. "Thank you."

"Okay, now the best way to do this is in groups," Hot Hands instructed. "Logan and I will enter through the back exit--"

"Ah thought ya'll said, 'improvise'?" Rogue stated.

"Alright then," Animila replied. "We'll do just that anyway. But we _will_ go only in groups. Like Hot Hands said, he and Logan will team up. Rogue, Gambit, and Diss will go another way. Beast and Iceman will go with Inviz, and Storm will go with Brain. Jean, you're with me. Now, let's move out. And take these with you," she motioned for them all to take a watch-like device. "These will keep us in nonstop contact. No matter what you're doing, where you are, or what you're saying, the rest of us will hear it. Since all of us will be, we will be able to remain in constant contact. But they're modified so only the wearer will hear."

"And just whut benefit will dat be?" Gambit asked as he put his on his wrist.

"So no one who isn't supposed to hear won't. It avoids you from getting caught," Brain answered.

"Since all of us will be wearing these, we, and only we, will hear each other," Diss added.

"It's extremely clever, I give you that," Beast commented.

"We'll say 'thank you' after we finish this," Inviz answered.

"Let's go," Animila ordered.

Interior of Sricmoni's jet

Animila and Jean crept through the vertical vents. Animila changed her eagle wings into Queen-ant wings so that she may fit easier. (I forgot to mention earlier that she can change her wings into any kind that she wanted.)

"Don't they cough ever clean these things out?" Jean complained to Animila who was a little ways above her.

"I'm surprised you're suddenly protesting. I do seem to recall that this was _your_ insisting idea in the first place."

"Now I know how they treat their plane: like a piece of trash."

"It _is_ a piece of trash."

Hot Hands and Wolverine

"You can say that again," Logan agreed, overhearing Jean and Animila's conversation. He and Hot Hands were trying to get through the garbage compartment and into the floor above them. "We've trampled over so much shit, it's hard to tell the garbage from the jet apart. Oven-Boy here thought we should just leave the sneaking-around-back to Miss Transparent and let us sneak into the garbage container."

"Oh, shut up, Logan," Jean's agitated voice sounded from the communicators. "You're not the ones breathing in polluted air."

"Wanna bet?"

"We're nearly suffocating in here from all of the dust and shit!"

"And we're nearly suffocating from the bad odor."

"What about us?" They heard Storm's voice. "Brain shoved us into the inside of these walls were climbing down right now!"

"So?" asked Hot Hands.

"'So'? This area is filled with wet, moldy air and it's making me feel nauseous! Did I forget to mention my claustrophobia? I told Brain we should try somewhere else, but--"

"Okay, are you people finished blaspheming us?" Animila's voice interrupted. "Because I got the distinct impression we were sent here to get a comrade outta here, not complain about the jet's conditions, am I not correct?"

The others silently agreed.

Animila and Jean

"Jean, since we're inside, see if you contact Scott and find out where he is."

"Okay," Jean closed her eyes and searched through hers and Scott's psychic link.

Cyclops

Scott cried out once again as he felt Jean's mind. Nevertheless, this time he could talk to her, even though he was in extreme agony.

"_Scott_. _Scott_, _it's me_. _Where are you_? _I know this hurts_, _but I need to know_. _We're here_. _We're gonna get you out_."

Through unbearable pain, Scott replied, "_I don't know exactly where_, _but I know I'm on the top floor_. _From the position of where the sun's setting out of these windows, I'd say somewhere on the west side_--" Scott couldn't hold on anymore. He closed the link for he felt that he would lose consciousness from the excruciating pain he was suffering."

Jean and Animila

Jean told Animila what little Scott had thought, but the animal girl seemed to know exactly where to look.

"Gambit, Diss, Rogue, you there?"

"We're still with you, Miss," Diss' voice replied.

"We'll probably need some back-up. We know where Scott is--"

"Whoa, hold on dere, missy," Gambit interrupted. "We're kinda in a taght spot righ now. Every whare we turn, deres guards on taght security."

"Very well," Animila answered. "Beast, Iceman, Inviz, they could probably use a hand. Hot Hands and Logan, we might just need to use you two instead."

"Wait, what about us?" Storm's voice asked.

"If you can, catch up with us. I'll send his coordinates to the comlinks."

in the vents after Hot Hands and Logan joined Animila and Jean

"Stop," Animila ordered. "You hear that?" the others listened. They heard harsh voices speaking.

"This must be it," Logan told them.

They peaked down an opening and saw Cyclops, helpless and feeble. He had blood running down his right temple and one of his legs looked badly damaged—maybe even broken. The mutants seemed to be enjoying sport to pass the time.

"Scott--" 

"No, Jean. Not yet," Animila stuck out an arm to stop her.

"But they're--" Jean was cut off by Animila's furry lion tail to Jean's lips in order to silence her.

"Shh!" the animal girl, slightly frustrated, ordered.

After Animila had withdrew her tail, Jean whispered, "What are we gonna do? Just hang around and do nothing!"

"No, _you're_ gonna hang around and do nothing. At least until I tell you. I'll handle this."

"By yourself?"

"Hey, it's me. This is my Area of Expertise."

"Now, don't go gettin' cocky, An. This is serious!"

"I'm aware of that. That's precisely why I'm having you wait on the sidelines." With that, she dropped gracefully down and landed between the semi-conscious Cyclops and the Brotherhood mutants. "Bad time to negotiate with you fuckers?" quicker than lightening, she drew out two automated revolvers and immediately began firing. One after another, the mutants fell. Before too long, she ran out of ammunition, but one still remained awake and spoke into a comm.

"I need back up. We have a security brea--ah!" before he could finish, Animila threw down her guns, and then broke his neck with a swift, accurate, and agile kick.

"Logan, make it fast. We're gonna have a little 'Welcome Back' party here pretty quick," Animila called up the vents to him. "Hot Hands and I will hold 'em off. And Jean, when he has Scott loose, I need you to telekinetically bring them back up and then we'll fuckin' skedaddle. Storm, I believe these guys are pretty thirsty, so I say we better give 'em a break. Buy us some time, will ya?"

Storm slightly chuckled on the comm. "Comin' right up."

SNIKT! Logan popped out his claws on his right hand and sliced right through the chains of which held Scott's wrists. Logan caught him as he collapsed, seeing as he was too weak to support himself.

"L-Logan--" Scott was bordering on unconsciousness yet again.

"That's righ', Boy Scout, I finally found an excuse to repay your favor of life-saving," Logan quipped and Scott painfully chuckled which sounded more like a gasp. "Hey, Hot, get over here for a minute. He's freezing."

Animila went over as well. "Jean."

"'Jean'?" Scott rasped

"Hurry!" Animila heard the guards with her keen bear ears and felt their beating of their boots in the floor. But before too long--

"Hold it!" gunshots fired and part of the vent collapsed, Jean with it. The only remaining way out was where it was being blocked.

Animila whirled around with a think-you're-tough-enough-to-take-me-down? look. She cocked an eyebrow and in an instant, attacked, Hot Hands with her. Logan and Jean watched in awe of their martial arts fighting skills. It was something beyond what they had ever seen. Somehow, Scott did not seem surprised. (Maybe because he was feeble?) However, the other two didn't notice. One thing was for sure, though: the guards were no match, mutant or no (which they all were mutant anyways).

"Let's go," Hot Hands urged. Logan shouldered Scott while Hot Hands led the way and Animila spoke to the others into the comlink.

"Alright, we got 'im, now let's get the hell outta here."

"We're way aheada ya," Rogue's voice sounded.

They ran down a series of hallways. Gunshots and mutant attacks followed.

"Recover that X-Man!" a commando commanded. "Sricmoni, they're getting away!"

Instead of first getting a response, the mutant got a bullet in the head by Hot Hands. But Logan and Scott got a bit of a return, but with sedation darts. It didn't take much effect on Logan even if it would've hit him where his uniform wasn't shielding him. (healing factor, remember?) As for Scott, he was hit in the arm which was over Logan's shoulders. That didn't matter, of course, but when he got hit in the back of the head, he lost his focus completely.

"Logan…"

Jean ran back to help but ran into a shot as well.

"Hot Hands, Logan can't carry both the Summerses! Get Jean!" the Team S leader ordered as she knelt and started firing repeatedly with a machine gun which was attached to her back by a belt. Logan heaved Scott onto his back, tying to keep the glasses from falling off.

"What's the delay?" Beast and his group came around the corner.

"Iceman, Inviz, use your--_ahh_!" Animila turned to face them, but before she could finish, two darts hit her in the shoulder and what little of her chest that wasn't covered. Diss and Brain's group arrived two seconds later.

"Gambit, get Animila!" Being the second-in-command, Hot Hands took over as he scooped Jean up.

Gambit obeyed right after he shot seven cards at their attackers. This bought them enough time to flee back to their own jet.

X-Jet

"My God, that was close!" Storm exclaimed as she prepared to fly the jet.

Pant, pant, pant Now THAT was a fuckin' long-ass chapter, huh? 17 document pages to be exact. Did I start to bore ya'lls after a bit? My apologies, if I did. Ya'lls like it, or no? Did I stress it too much? Pleez tell me! I'll push myself harder to write even better! Summers-Spirit, pleez review! (I know it might suck, but oh well :D.) the rest of ya……………review, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ! Ahem Bye.


	6. From the Past

A/N: Finally, I'm back! I got ta finish dis chapt! Yay! I was afraid I'd be stuck on dis forever! Dis has got some real doozies for ya'lls! Dis one is especially for my good friend Summers-Spirit. Girl, your support kept me goin'! dis is a small 'thank ya'. Sorry I can't give ya anything else! I dedicate dis one ta ya!

P.S. And Lamby, I don't know if ya been readin' dis too or not, but if ya are, I hope ya like!

Disclaimer: X-Men is Stan Lee's, Team S is MINE:)

The animal girl awoke about an hour after they made it back to the mansion. Of course, she was in the med lab. When regained her full sight, she saw the familiar, visor-wearing Scott smiling down at her. He had scars and bandages, but looked lively now that he was away from harsh conditions.

"Heyya, Good-Lookin'," he grinned.

"Forgive me," she joked back as she propped herself up on her elbows. "But I do seem to recall _you _being the one in need of assistance."

"Oh, I got cuts and bruises here and there," he minored the fact. "But you got a sedation over-dose. Hank was afraid you had been poisoned."

"Hey, where a human falls, an animal shall proceed. And, I'm a bit of both, so that leaves neutrality and chance," Scott grinned and they were in silence for a minute until he broke it again.

"You know, An, I, um…I wanted to thank you…for what you put yourself through to help me out. I can only take so many hurts in just two days, you know," and they shared another laugh.

"Well, it's good to have us all back," she used a half-cheery tone.

"Hey. I know that when you talk that way and in that tenor, I know you don't think it's over yet."

"Well, to be honest, not quite. There are still some things that I'm debating over," Animila replied as she leaped off the med bed and landed perfectly on her feet a little ways in front of the lab door (which was now repaired, thanx ta Beast's handy-work).

"Like?"

"Like, you don't need to worry about it now," she teased as she approached the door. "Right now, you need to take it easy while I consult with my Team."

Before she was able to leave, "Uh, An," she stopped and looked back for she noted a dropping in spirit in his voice. "That…that won't be necessary."

"What do you mean? Of course 'tis necessary."

"An," Scott hated to be the one to tell her this. "I came to while we were still aboard the Blackbird and I only know what I've been told," he deeply inhaled. "But I soon heard questioning on where…Inviz was. We then came to realize shortly afterwards that he wasn't on. We had left him behind," he watched both confusion and disbelief form upon Animila's fair face as he continued. "Animila. Inviz…he's dead."

Animila's reaction was shock and grief at once…mostly shock and disbelief. "_Eo_, _Nevih_," she whispered as she slightly touched her mouth with two of her clawed fingertips.

Scott didn't want to continue, but he had to, "What's more is that Diss…didn't want to believe it…she tried to go back, but Hot stopped her. But he said that it's possible she may--"

"Say no more!" she squawked in a bird-like way. "I need to hear no more of my children!" she then dropped to a kneel and, for the first time Scott had ever witnessed, broke down and cried. Her claws extended to their fullest length automatically as she buried her face within them. Scott keeled before her, seeing genuine teardrops make her leather gloves even shinier. "_Inviz_, _iw uon_? _Shite zuw ton tupoz ut napih uon_. _Ton tey_." She muttered in her native language.

"An, I'm…I'm so sorry."

Choking back her sobs, she answered, "No matter. It was his time, as this is God's will. Everything happens for a reason," Standing, she looked away until she asked, "I trust I still have the remaining three Followers?"

"Yeah."

"I wish to speak with them immediately. I also wish to contact Aqua and see if they're near finished with their task," Animila hastily began to leave. It still amazed Scott how well she handled her feelings. To her, there was always a time to grieve, and a time to do one's duties. Right now wasn't a time to grieve for the fallen ones.

"Uh, the Professor already talked to her. They're in Africa now and they would be returning shortly."

"Well, that's some light news."

Before she left, Scott just had to ask the question which has been bothering him for so long. "Animila, I…I wanted to know--well, I was told that Jean had nothing to do with…all this. What's going on with this whole thing? Professor Xavier thinks that you're keeping something from us. Something we all should know."

The animal goddess just let out a heavy sigh, "Scott, tell your X-Men to meet Hot Hands and I in the kitchen in ten minutes. Everything will be revealed then. And tell my Team that I wish to see them briefly in the Briefing Room before I go to talk with your people." She then flew off to her destination.

"Hello, Miss," Brain, with Diss staring at the floor next to him, entered. They were both, as annually, in uniform. "Um, Hot Hands said he'd be with us shortly."

"Animila," Diss groaned. "I don't suppose you heard--"

"Yes, Diss. Cyclops has filled me in on the incident."

"Oohh, if only--"

"Diss," Animila calmly, yet grievingly cut in. "What's done is done. We cannot reverse it." At that moment, Hot Hands walked in. He had obviously been to the Danger Room for his hair, which was held in a small ponytail in the back, was damp and he was a little out of breath. "First off, I am grateful you have met me on such short notice, my Solitudes."

"Animila, I'm guessing something is disturbing you?" Brain questioned. He and the rest of the Team knew so well that something was out of place when their leader spoke that way.

"Children, I have decided that the time has come to tell the X-Men--"

"Oh, no, Animila!" Diss cried. "We can't! 'Tis too risky."

"I am certain this time 'round. We have to tell them."

"Well, if you feel it is necessary," Hot Hands put in.

"But, we never can be too certain of--" Diss argued

"Diss, I have never made the same mistake twice, and I'm not gonna start. Now, we may need to move out t any time, so Brain, I will need you and your smarts to get busy in the lab. Diss, I'll need you to assist him."

"What do you need us to construct, Ma'am?" Brain asked.

"I need a cloaking devise to make the Blackbird invisible to ANY radar. I believe you know why."

"Ah, yes, Animila," they knew what she was talking about.

"Now, Hot Hands, we have a full room of X-Men waiting on some answers. We must give them what they ask for."

kitchen

First off, Animila explained everything she found out on the disk.

"Ooh, looks like you got the bad part of the deal, Cyke," Bobby put in.

"Gee, that _really _boosts my spirits, Bobby!" Scott snapped as he glared behind his glasses.

"Just 'ow duz all dat wuk?" Gambit asked ignoring Scott and Bobby's spat.

"There once was a room in the palace of Huntra—which we called the 'Sfringo' chamber," Hot Hands replied.

"What exactly is the Sfringo chamber?" Storm asked.

Before any of the Team S could answer, they all heard a voice say, "It's where sacrificial offerings were made in hope the Past Kings would return to life," they all looked around to see that the answer came from Scott. Two seconds following, a confused and shocked look passed his face as Animila's and Hot Hands' eyes widened. It seemed plain that Scott's reply surprised himself as well as the rest.

"How did you know that!" Animila asked at the exact same time Scott said, "How did I know that!"

The group sat in silence, surprise, and bewilderment until Beast said, "I think there is more to this than meets the eye."

"Jean or Charles should read your mind, Slim," Animila suggested. "so we can see for certain why you know so much about this--about us."

/\/\/\/\/\/\/

"I don't want anyone to sneak into my memories," Scott complained as he and Jean stood face-to face while everyone else sat near or on the table.

"Scott, it's the only way we can find answers," Jean reasoned.

"Well, alright," he surrendered as Jean placed her palms on either side of his head and closed her eyes.

Jean saw many things which surprised her. First, she saw a beautiful, golden and silver palace. The gardens were filled with beautiful flowers, grass and other fine-looking plants. She then saw the inside in the throne room. There were two thrones, where the king and queen sat, and a soft, fat cushion in front of the two. Seated atop of it was a teenage girl with dark hair, ruby-burgundy eyes, and golden garbs. However, this version of Animila lacked the wings, tail, etc. Behind the left shoulder of the king's chair stood a young man, no older than 26. He had brownish hair, the most beautiful blue eyes, and his expression was vacant. He looked strangely familiar. A guard, looking identical to Hot Hands except for garb, knelt to the royals while the king spoke inaudibly. The scenario changed to a dark room, overseeing someone practically having the life sucked out of him. She saw after this, a large, burning ruin replacing the glorious kingdom. Animila and the supposedly prince ran throughout the land as if trying to find escape. The Hot Hands guard came running.

"Srinsep, iw tusm vel, uon!" he spoke in what seemed like Huntran. (Translation: "Princess, we must leave now!")

"Og, rists," the familiar-looking man added. "Uy ra tenm ut pscae dna vil noe. Ronsidc eht hote!" (translation: "Go, sister. You are meant to escape and live on. Consider the oath!")

Jean then saw five figures; Animila, Hot Hands, a maid looking like Diss, a worker looking like Brain, and a commoner looking like Inviz forming a circle with clasped arms to one another and suddenly fading and disappearing until nothing was left.

The prince stood alone for a moment then ran towards the opposite direction. He was suddenly caught at unawares by a falling flame. He was knocked off his feet and slammed facedown on the blue grass. He turned only to see that it the blow wasn't coincidence at all. A blond woman with steely eyes had thrown a burning branch of a strange tree in his direction. She looked down on him and said only, "Don't worry; you will come in handy _later_." With that, she swiped out a sword and sliced his throat. Jean grimaced as she saw the blood and heard the prince scream as it happened. At the same time, she also heard Scott cry out as he grabbed her wrists and pulled her hands away. They both came back to the real world. Scott stumbled backward and clutched onto the counter to keep himself from collapsing. Jean was stunned. The prince sounded EXACTLY like Scott. How could that be? She looked over to him. Scott was shaking all over and whiter than white. He suddenly looked incredibly ill. The others watched in shock. The ones nearest to him backed away a little; they knew what was coming. Jean rushed toward him. Confusion, yet concern, was in her face. Without warning, Scott vomited all over the counter and to the floor. He threw up blood as well as acid from his body. He clutched his throat as if he had felt what the prince had experienced.

Animila and Hot Hands leapt to their feet.

"What happened? What did you see?" Hot Hands asked as Scott, still holding his throat, vomited some more.

Jean looked at Animila. "An, did you once…have a brother while you lived in Huntra?"

Animila gasped, "Oh, my God."

Jean then understood: Scott lived once before. He was a Huntran. He was killed before his time so the same person could use him to bring the _King_ back. By doing this, Sricmoni planned kill Team S to erase all mutation. "You will come in handy later" that's what it meant. Now Scott was reincarnated and in grave danger.

A/N: You like it? Did it surprise you about Cyclops having some kinda connection with the Huntrans? If you want to find out more about this, I require at least one r&r before I post the next chapter, -k-? I can't wait to share it with you all:)

P.S: friendly reminder: I would appreciate it if ya'lls didn't just leave it up ta Summers-Spirit to send a review. :D Note ta Summers-Spirit: not that I don't appreciate your reviews, my friend! ;)


	7. Past Huntran

A/N: Hey, ya'll. Listen, I can't update for much longer cuz as far as I know, I gotta turn in my laptop to da school either taday or tomorrow for da summer. So, the only way I can still update is if I get lucky and get ta use my mom's computer or a library's. sorry, Summers-Spirit, but I'll try my hardest ta keep in touch over da summer, -k-? so, if after dis chapt or da next and I don't update for a coupla months, it's cuz I got no computer to post any new chapts. :( when da new school year starts again, I expect ta get my computer back so I can talk ta ya'lls again. I'm sooo sorry for da inconvenience, but I got no choice in da matter.

On happier thoughts, here's my update. Since I'm runnin' outta time, I decided not ta wait for reviews, -k-? npw, dis one is pretty much about Animila and Scott. Another gift of thanx, Summers-Spirit!

Dedications: My best friend Summers-Spirit. I'll miss writin ta ya!

"Damn! Why didn't you tell us about these memories and such, Cyke, as freaky as they are?" Wolverine asked with frustration as the X-Men and Team S conferenced in Xavier's office. "Mine aren't even that horrid, I'd expect."

"I couldn't remember them at all, Logan," Scott replied. "I guess they where just sorta…there. I mean, if _Jean_ never knew about 'em, how the hell could I?"

"How can they still be in your mind if you died once, though?" Storm questioned.

"I…I dunno."

"Maybe it's because Animila is still living," Beast suggested.

"But he isn't my brother _now_," Animila replied.

"That's a good point," Scott agreed.

"With all do respect," Hot Hands interrupted. "I think that we should be worrying not about how he still has his memories, but how we keep him safe from…from…need I say more?"

"We won't worry about this now," Xavier said. "Now we must all get some rest. And Scott, I suggest you lock and seal every entrance to your room tonight," Everyone left following this.

When Scott and Jean reached their room, it suddenly dawned on him how exhausted he was, especially from all the excitement. He sat on the edge of his side of the bed, thinking about all that went on that day. Jean went into their bathroom to brush her teeth and let Scott have some space.

"_Hon_?" Scott thought through their link.

"_Yes_, _Scott_?"

"_You don_'_t think this is coincidence_, _do you_?"

"_There's a lot of things which are a mystery for me_,_ but what you need to worry about is getting some sleep for now_, _alright_?"

"_Okay_. _I guess you_'_re_--" Scott suddenly gripped the side of his head in pain as he heard the voices once again.

"Honey," Jean poked her head out to look at him. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Jean. I just got a slight headache," Scott uneasily replied as a sudden vision of one of his 'memories' flashed in his mind. A quiet, psionic humming sounded as more flashed about his mind and the voice level increased. He was in extreme pain now. These mental visions and sound were too much for him as he isn't a telepath. Jean hurried over to him. The humming got slightly louder. Jean could hear it now. She grabbed her husband's left shoulder.

"Scott? Scott, what wrong?" Jean sounded panicky. "What's happening?" Scott only fell to the floor, clutching both temples in agony. More memories, even some that Jean hadn't seen, envisioned in his mind's eye. It was all he could see. He knew Jean was there, at his side, but he couldn't see her. Jean felt some of her spouse's pain through their link. But one thing which stood out was Scott's words in her mind: "_Jean…please help. I need you. Make it stop_!"

"_Animila_!" Jean almost screamed while telepathically contacting her and Hot Hands. "_Come quick_!_ It's Scott. Something's happening. I don't know what it is_!_ Hurry_!"

A few brief minutes later, Animila, Hot Hands, Storm, Wolverine and Beast burst in. The five tackled and took hold of Scott, trying to calm him, but he was squirming uncontrollably and crying out in tremendous pain. Meanwhile, the lenses of his glasses flashed rapidly. This was obviously not a good sign.

"Hank, get a sedative before he destroys everything in this room!" Animila cried. Nothing happened. "Hank!"

"It's not working," He showed her the now-empty syringe. Scott continued to thrash around, trying to be rid of the pain and visions.

"Scott! Calm down!" Storm tried, but failed to quiet him.

"God!" Wolverine yelled. "Where the hell is Colossus when you need him? He's gonna fuckin' kill us all!"

"Jean, can't you shut him off like Charles does?" Animila anxiously questioned.

"I've never tried it before!" Jean replied. "But, maybe I can try something else."

"Whatever it is, just do it!" Hot Hands shot at her, trying to hold Scott at by. Scott's glasses were on the verge of bursting.

"_I'm sorry, Scott,_" she sent through their link. "_but it's for your own good_." With that, she concentrated hard on Scott's mind through their bond and paralyzed everything inside. Scott immediately quit tossing and thrashing about and his painful screaming ceased. His glasses dimmed.

"What'd you do, Jeanie?" Logan asked as silence filled the room.

"Never mind. But it won't hold out for long," Jean answered.

"What was causing him so much pain?" Storm asked. Jean placed her hand on Scott's right temple and she briefly read his mind.

"His memories," she answered. "His memories wouldn't stop flashing in his mind, so it caused him excruciating mental pain from all of the turmoil."

"But he shouldn't remember them unless he wanted to," Hot Hands put in. There was a brief pause.

"Shit," Animila cursed and began to leave the room.

"Wait, where are you going?" Logan questioned as he followed her. Animila kept walking as she answered.

"I gotta have the professor use Cerebro, find Sricmoni, and see just what she's up to with this. She _made_ Scott see those memories against his will. Obviously, she's desperate to get him back in custody."

"How can she do that by forcing him to see things?"

Animila stopped to look at him. "Because, eventually, it will mentally weaken him and will soon be led to back to her," she kept walking. "And, believe me, it won't be for revenge." She suddenly clasped her head and fell towards the wall. Gasping in mental pain, she experienced the same as Scott had.

"Whoa. Whoa, whoa. What's happenin' here?" Logan asked.

"Logan…get Charles!" was all she could muster.

"But te--"

"GET…CHAAAAAARLES!" But Logan was rooted in his spot. Animila's eyes were shut tight in pain, but she then sharply opened them to reveal raging flames. Not the annual green flickers which appeared when she commanded a nonliving object, but orange, red, and yellow blazes. And they filled her entire eyes, not just colored area. "NOOOOOOOOOOOW!"

Scott's and Jean's room

"…Believe me, Animila knows what she is doing," Hot Hands conversed with the others as he and Beast set Scott on the bed.

"I'm just a little concerned about…certain circumstances which might occur," Beast replied.

"Well, _I _have never doubted--" gasp "SHIIIIIIIIT!" he broke off with a cry—no, scream off agony. The same thing happened with him as it did Animila.

"Oh, my God. What's happening?" Storm demanded. Hot Hands slid to the floor. He sharply opened his eyes to reveal furious flames dancing around. In the depths they could've swore they saw a pale building.

Animila

Logan watched in shock until he forced himself to find Xavier. When they had arrived at the particular hallway, green light blinded them. It filled throughout the entire mansion. As quickly as it happened, the light disappeared. Logan and Xavier opened their eyes and saw Animila gasping for breath. Her wings and tail twitched viciously. Her past-shoulder-length dark hair lay strangled on her face and shoulders. She turned to look at the two. The entire eyes glowed with lime-green flame. There was no sign the beautiful ruby-burgundy. Hot Hands, Jean, Storm, Beast, and—surprisingly—Scott came running.

"What happened?" Hot Hands demanded as he crouched before his mentor.

"I'm…not sure," Xavier answered.

later

"Well, I must say that was an amazing display of power, my friend," Xavier commented.

"Well, _I _would've thought that only one with mental powers would be able to fight off something like that," Jean added.

"Hey. Who ever said I _don't_ have mental powers?"

"You're a telepath, too?" a voice asked. They turned to see Angel by a corner. Of course, he wasn't hidden well because of _his _large wings.

"Warren!" Beast half-scolded.

"Were you eavesdropping?" Storm asked.

"Well, we didn't mean to," Bobby's voice said from behind Angel's feathers.

"Ya'll might say Ah gotta bit 'o Logan in me an' passed it onta these guys," Rogue teased, referring to Logan's sneaking around."

"Yah ain't mad at uz, ar ya?" Gambit asked as they came out of hiding. "Of course not, Gambit. In fact, I'd prefer that you'd join us. You are, indeed, apart of the X-Men," Xavier offered.

"Oh…thanks, Professor," Angel, as well as the rest, was relieved.

"Now, then, about having mental powers, you were saying, Animila?" Beast let the conversation continue.

"Well, first off, how the hell can ya have telepathy when ya have all these other abilities?" Iceman cut in.

"Now, I never said I was a telepath. I only said that I possess mental powers."

"Sugah, ya have ta be psychic ta have mental powers," Rogue said.

"Okay, lemmie ask ya this: how can I nonverbally command things—in my _mind_—if I don't own mental powers?"

The X-Men remained silent until Storm spoke.

"Wait a minute. If you can psychically command nonliving things, _doesn_'_t _that make you a telepath?"

"I just got finished saying--"

"I know, I know. But…haven't you ever _tried_ to telepathically talk to another or something?"

"Well, come to think of it…no. I had always believed my luxury power was nonliving-based."

"Logically speaking, Animila," Hot Hands politely suggested. "When you, um, fought off that mental attack, you weren't really commanding anything nonliving nor living. So, technically, you are a telepath."

"I believe your novice is correct, my friend," Xavier put in.

"Okay. Okay. But how does this benefit us at all? We're pretty much on the brink of a war for countless mutant lives."

"How d'you figure?" Logan asked.

"Yeah, what do the rest of the world's mutants have to do with any of this?" Scott added.

"Don't you get it?" Hot Hands impatiently said. "We created all mutation, didn't we? As long as we live, mutants live. If all five of us are killed, which one already has been, not only will mutants all over lose their mutations, they will also lose their lives!"

"That's something Sricmoni doesn't understand," the animal goddess added, ignoring the X-Men's shocked expressions. "The only reason she wants us dead is because mutation. She believes getting rid of us will erase the X-Gene and all humanity will be human. It will, but it will—as Hot Hands said—also kill any person who possessed it. We still do not know why, but we know enough."

"But what also is at risk is human lives. Being as we're Huntrans, and the first species of human beings, for that matter, all humanity will possibly die out," continued Hot Hands.

A/N: Gotta stop, -k-? don't worry none, I think found a way ta keep updating. L8terz!


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